10 Unique Healthy Habits I Wish I Knew Sooner

by Cori Lefkowith | Oct 20, 2024 | Blog, Diet, Exercises, Functional Fitness, Mindset

I’m not even going to waste your time with an intro…Here are 10 Unique Healthy Habits I Wish I’d Started Earlier….

Habit #1: Stop labeling foods as good and bad.

I pressured myself to eat clean…in a whole host of different variations for the longest time and sabotaged my own success.

And every time I went on another diet that cut out some “bad” food, I would ultimately be consistent for 30 days or 6 weeks, see some results, then feel so deprived and restricted I would ultimately fall off.

And then I’d feel guilty.

So of course, since I’d already ruined the day or week, I’d eat everything bad for me possible to only have to “start over Monday.”

Then Monday would come and I’d restrict again.

But this labeling of foods as good or bad stopped me from finding balance. And it ultimately led to me eating more foods not as nutrient dense over the long term.

Not to mention it stopped me from seeing results.

Now instead, I focus on an 80/20 balance. I work in foods I love 20% of the time and fully enjoy them. Then focus on whole natural foods 80% of the time.

I never now feel guilty and realize if I don’t include something it is my CHOICE, not something I have to do to hit someone else’s arbitrary standards of clean eating!

Habit #2: Reflection breaks.

I’m a do’er. I get something I want accomplished and I just want to get to taking action.

But this approach leads to a lot of wasted time and energy and often a lot of frustration as we work harder without moving forward.

It’s why I think it is so key we realize the importance of reflection breaks.

Times we step back and actually look at our habits, how we’re truly implementing them and then assess our progress.

Because often we are doing a lot of things we don’t need to be doing and not paying attention enough to the habits we do need to be focusing on.

We’re letting little deviations in our nutrition creep in. Ignoring missed workouts. While putting a lot and time and energy into other things that aren’t as essential.

But honest reflection can help us notice a gap between what we say we want and what we’re doing.

And even help us assess what we’re actually optimizing our habits and lifestyle for.

Because we won’t stumble our way into results. We have to be clear on where and what we’re spending our time on and why!

Habit #3: Set end dates.

Any time I create a plan, I set an end date. This also helps me take time to reflect, making that second habit easier.

And not only do end dates give us that time to reassess and adjust but they help us embrace and trust the process when trying new things.

We know there is a point we can make a change if things aren’t working.

End dates also give us motivation to start now. It’s easy to say, “I’ll start tomorrow.” when there is no deadline.

It’s also easy to feel overwhelmed by the idea of FOREVER.

We honestly get BORED with that idea.

We want to test out new workouts. We want to try new foods. We like searching for some improvement.

Instead of shying away from that, set those end dates to give yourself the opportunity to make tweaks and still have fun testing out new things while keeping yourself focused.

Habit #4: Cycling macros every few WEEKS.

I tried carb cycling, variations of daily cycling of macros and calories.

I tried sticking to one thing for months upon months.

The first led to my energy being all over the place and frustration trying to hit different numbers while prepping different foods daily.

It was too much work. Made me feel sluggish.

And it made it so hard to know what was and wasn’t working.

When I switched to sticking with one thing for extended periods, I found I got bored. Results weren’t as fast.

And if my workouts or activity level shifted, I found myself either starving at times or even gaining fat because my fueling didn’t match.

That’s why I began cycling every 2-3 weeks most consistently with small changes over cycles.

It allowed me to simplify meal prep. Keep my energy consistent. Adjust with changes in my workouts. Use different macro ratios to work toward different goals.

And I could even use the ratios to build better off of each other to take advantage of the different impact going lower carb after higher carb or higher carb after lower carb could have on body recomp goals!

It was my balance of diversity with consistency.

And without being too complicated or requiring the extreme precision cycling daily, like carb cycling, required!

Finding my balance of diversity with consistency was key for me not only with my diet but also with my workouts.

Habit #5: Repeating a weekly workout progression.

It’s easy to want to jump around. Or even want to repeat things because they are comfortable.

But you need a balance of both and repeating workouts is key to creating progression.

It’s hard to track progress when there is no clear build and every workout, every day of every week is a bit different.

If you do pull ups one week on Tuesday when your back hasn’t been worked that week you may get out 10 pull ups in a row versus if you did them on Friday of the next week after doing rows on Wednesday, you may find you struggle to get 6.

You didn’t get weaker. The muscles were just fatigued from previous work.

You’d be able to track progress better if you repeated the same schedule and workouts weekly for a few weeks in a row.

And to keep this from becoming boring, implement diversity in your workouts over the week. Don’t just do pull ups multiple times or the same workouts multiple days in a week.

Use different types of moves and even different training techniques and workout designs and tools to create unique and fun sessions.

This combination of even different forms of progression will help you see faster results while helping you not get bored!

Habit #6: Do that prehab!

I wasn’t always the prehab or foam rolling, stretching and activation obsessed person I am today.

But injuries made me face the facts and I’m so glad I did.

Not only am I moving better with fewer aches and pains, but honestly my fat loss, muscle grains and lifting performance all improved by just committing to this system every single warm up.

And it doesn’t have to be a lot. Some days it’s barely just 5 minutes, but the consistency with that flexibility, mobility, and stability work pays off.

We get good at what we consistently do. And the more we stay consistent with this prehab work the less we have to do extra to address movement compensations and imbalance that build up.

That feeling that we used to get away with something just means we shouldn’t be trying to get away with it.

And the longer we try to avoid the prehab work, the more we’re just creating bigger issues that will sabotage us later.

So focus on that prehab work and be intentional with your training. Don’t just rush through. Don’t just think of your workouts as a chance to burn more calories.

Focus on moving well in your sessions and you’ll not only feel and move better but you will see the payoff in those aesthetic goals too!

Habit #7: Prioritize protein.

This habit was something I resisted just like prehab. But when I started prioritizing protein, I finally got to the leanness level I wanted while also FEELING my best.

I saw my workouts and strength improve as well as my recovery.

And this prioritization of protein, I know will serve me well in years to come so I can look, move and feel my best!

I think this focus on protein is essential as we don’t just want to train to look and feel good for a day…we want to feel our best till our final day on this planet!

To help myself focus more on increasing my protein, I began to log it first and build meals around the portions I needed.

I even researched different protein types to find opportunity in the options out there.

I also at first didn’t worry about my ratio of carbs to fats. I just focused on calories and protein.

This allowed me to start to learn how to increase my protein while also making meals I enjoyed.

And I stopped even just focusing on ONE protein source at a meal.

By seeing how I could use two different types of protein in a meal to hit my needs, I found I enjoyed my meals more and didn’t get that protein fatigue!

Habit #8: Embrace my laziness.

This sounds weird to say as a habit but I think it’s a key thing to point out.

Because too often with habit changes, we try to focus on hitting an “ideal.”

We don’t think about how the habits can be adjusted to realistically fit our lifestyle. And that’s often what makes habit change so hard.

We’re trying to force a habit mold.

Instead we need to think, “How can this adjustment work for me and what is one small step toward bigger changes that I can make even on my worst days?”

This focus on embracing what I call my “laziness” with things, allowed me to build healthier habits that have evolved more and more over time.

Like I buy tons of frozen veggies and fruits. I know they won’t go bad and they are easy to prep.

I’ll buy pre-cooked chicken breast. I’ll get frozen meal prep from places.

I’ll plan in restaurant meals out so I don’t have to cook.

I get canned goods.

I have 5 minute workout options or even home workout options when I just know I won’t be motivated or have the time to get to the gym.

The more we can embrace our own “laziness” or desire to not give MORE or prioritize something more, even if just not right now, the more we can actually make healthy habit swaps that add up!

Habit #9: Brain dump before bed.

Failing to plan is planning to fail.

The night before I make sure I have everything laid out for the next day.

This pre-planning, or last minute opportunity to adjust my plans, helps me make sure I have my to-do list set for the next day in a way I can accomplish the main things I need to do.

It helps me so that I’m organized in a way I’ll put first in my day the things that will get skipped if not done immediately.

It also helps me clear my mind before bed of anything that may keep me awake at night.

I don’t know about you, but if I’m not conscious to do a little brain dump of thoughts or tasks before going to bed, they’ll be spinning around my mind all night, making it hard to not only fall asleep but stay asleep.

So I use this brain dump into a list to close loops from the day to relax before bed while setting the next day up for success!

Habit #10: Take breaks.

I struggle HARD to not be doing something…like all the time.

So I honestly steered into that even with how I take breaks.

Because breaks don’t mean you aren’t doing something. They are really just a break from what we WERE doing.

So on weeks my body needs to back off the workout intensity, aka needs a break from the heavy lifting or killer cardio, I plan in things to do that are recovery.

I plan in a ton of mobility work and restorative movement. That way I don’t feel like a couch potato.

I use that time if I do shorten my workouts as an opportunity to even make other changes or habits shifts I haven’t had as much time to focus on.

I give myself a new focus while taking the break.

Because our body and mind can’t just go at 100% in the same way forever. And our priorities at times do need to shift.

And if we don’t own this, we never end up actually giving our all to anything.

We can also see our motivation completely fade and burnout hit.

It’s why sometimes even proactively scaling things back when you know priorities have shifted can be key.

So give yourself the break at times and shift your focus. It can help you feel like you’re still getting to take action but in a way that helps you stay motivated while giving your all to what you truly can!

Build your leanest, strongest body no matter your age while creating SUSTAINABLE habit changes and a true lifestyle balance with my Private 1:1 Online Coaching.

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7 Big LIES About Exercise and Aging

by Cori Lefkowith | Oct 9, 2023 | Blog, Exercises, Functional Fitness, Mindset, Workouts

The best way to feel and look old really quickly is to stop doing all the things that kept you healthy.

Too often we hit an age that we deem “old” and stop pushing ourselves the way we used to in our training.

Heck I even found an article on WebMD about exercises to avoid after 50 and it said…

“Lifting weights is a great way to build muscle strength, but when you’re over 50 there is no reason to push yourself too hard.”

I’m sorry….NO.

While we can’t change our age, at any time we can make changes to move and feel our best.

And the best way NOT to see results is NOT to challenge yourself.

Use it or lose it.

Getting older doesn’t mean you now should stop pushing yourself to conquer new challenges or step outside your comfort zone.

Getting older actually makes it even more important that you do so that you stay healthy and strong till your final day on this planet!

That’s why in this video I want to refute 7 reasons I often hear people use as excuses not to push themselves outside their comfort zones when it comes to their strength training once they hit whatever age they believe to be “old.”

Myth #1: I shouldn’t push myself too hard.

I can’t even describe the spasms my face wants to go into stating that myth even for the 100th time.

No wonder we’re seeing more injuries, more cognitive decline…

No wonder we think aging just means gaining weight and getting out of shape?!

We’re promoting attitudes that perpetuate that!

I don’t care if you’re 20 or 90, you need to CHALLENGE yourself with your training to keep pushing your body to adapt and grow stronger and MAINTAIN your strength.

Sarcopenia, or muscle loss, is so prevalent because we’ve too easily adopted the belief that we don’t need to push ourselves with our training. That with age we deserve to be lazy.

But if you want to stay strong and fit and even mentally with it till your final day on this planet, you NEED to push yourself to feel worked in your workouts.

This doesn’t mean every session should slaughter you. But it shouldn’t be that way at any age.

But every single workout you do want to create that progressive overload and do something hard.

We build and retain lean muscle through pushing our bodies to do more than they could the previous session!

Myth #2: X Move Is Bad And Dangerous.

You can get hurt training at any age.

And as someone who has learned a lot since their early meathead days, I would say we actually end up being smarter in our training as we get older as we often appreciate the value of just moving well over letting ego dictate what we do.

BUT no matter our age we have to stop just demonizing exercises. Or blaming exercises for aches and pains.

Squats don’t hurt your knees.

Bad squats or recruitment patterns with loads you haven’t earned do.

And unless you don’t ever plan to sit down to a toilet again, it would be in your best interest to learn to really control and retrain that squat movement pattern as much as you can!

If you want to be able to do a movement or maintain your mobility, you need to train that movement pattern in the gym!

Regress to progress.

Training only leads to injury when we haven’t earned a move or misuse a move.

By doing a move that doesn’t match your needs and goals, you can get injured at ANY age.

Often the fact that we even did moves with ego when we were younger, is what has now led to the aches and pains we even have.

But training isn’t dangerous.

We need to even see the gym as an opportunity to PRACTICE proper movements so that we are at less risk for injury in everyday life.

The gym is a perfect place to learn to move well.

Just don’t be afraid to regress to progress and focus on intentionality with your movement to earn those advancements!

Because if you train smarter and not just harder, you put yourself at less risk for injury getting up and down of the ground or lifting that box!

Myth #3: I shouldn’t lift too heavy.

First off, what is too heavy?

A weight you can’t lift?

Something you can’t lift with proper form?

If that’s the case, you shouldn’t EVER lift too heavy.

But if you don’t challenge your muscles, you won’t create that stimulus for muscle growth.

And we want to do everything we can to promote that environment for growth as we will find it gets harder and harder to build muscle the older we get!

But especially as we get older we need to focus on maintaining maximal strength.

That means NOT shying away from lower rep, heavy weight work in our training.

Maximal strength work means we are better able to prevent falls and fractures and are not only stronger, but have more lean muscle mass which keeps our bones healthy and helps us look leaner.

So lift heavy for strong bones and a lean physique!

Stop defaulting to only doing 15-20 rep work with lighter loads.

Push those heavy weights as you earn them and build up to keep yourself strong and your metabolic rate higher!

Myth #4: I have (insert health concerns here).

We always want to address injuries and health concerns with our training routines.

But this should be the case at any age.

However, too often, as we get older and more health concerns may pop up, we see this as a reason to stop pushing hard in our workouts or train at all.

When often training will help us improve our health and can even combat many of our symptoms!

Strength work can help reduce chronic inflammation. It can reduce our risk for osteoporosis. It can improve our cognitive functioning.

It can help us sleep better to recover from illness faster.

It can help us maintain our bone health.

It can even help us retrain movements and strengthen muscles to overcome injuries.

It can help us move and feel a whole heck of a lot younger.

Overall, strength training is linked with a 10%–17% lower risk of heart disease, total cancer, diabetes, lung cancer and death from any cause. (According to a review study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (2022; 56 [13]))

Yet so often we let health concerns stop us instead of finding a way to strengthen around them. And THAT is what makes us feel older so much faster!

Find ways to regress moves and address what you need to focus on feeling the correct muscles work.

Design workouts around your schedule based on the intensity you need. And start back slow.

But the key is to START and to focus on building, meeting yourself where you are at!

Myth #5: I shouldn’t do awkward moves.

As we get older, we are less willing to make ourselves feel uncomfortable or awkward or even bad at something.

When we’re young, we embrace it more as we encounter new things on almost a daily basis even.

But as we get older, we don’t like to push to do new things that feel awkward and uncomfortable.

The thing is…we need to.

Those awkward moves improve our mental health.

They also keep our mind-body connection strong which allows us to react more quickly in everyday life.

Many even improve our balance and core strength, especially if they are single sided moves!

And these moves help us even build muscle, creating progression in different ways, changing the range of motion, stability and even tempos.

They challenge not only our body but even our mind to keep us younger and healthy!

And ladies, studies have shown even greater benefits from physical activity in terms of our thinking speed as we get older!

Myth #6: I can’t build muscle.

Yup. It does get harder to build and retain lean muscle as we get older.

But trying to use this as an excuse to not even try?

NOPE!

It is even more reason to push hard and lift heavier!

It’s also a reason to cut back on the chronic cardio, which can not only cause more inflammation and joint issues, but lead to us struggling even more to build and retain lean muscle.

Instead we need to do everything we can to combat the fact that we don’t have the optimal hormone levels for muscle growth Any exercise we once did and we don’t utilize protein as efficiently.

We need to do everything we can to focus on lifting heavy, challenging ourselves and pushing hard in our training while including adequate recovery.

This is the only way we can build muscle and at least make sure we maintain what we already have as the more we lose through inactivity, the more we will struggle to get it back the older we get!

Myth #7: I can’t recover as quickly so I shouldn’t do as much.

We may find that our recovery does change as we get older, especially even during menopause when our sleep may be impacted more.

But this is all the more reason to train with purpose and design intentional workouts that we can be CONSISTENT with.

Because the more inconsistent we are, the harder we make it on ourselves to recover.

We don’t often realize that, as we’ve gotten older, we actually are less consistent in having that set gym training routine.

And that inconsistency can make every workout feel new to our body, so we are constantly getting sore.

Make sure to set a schedule you can be consistent with.

Then don’t randomly string together moves or workouts without a plan.

Create a set schedule you repeat for a few weeks so you can slowly progress and build each week.

This will help improve your recovery over always feeling beat down.

Plus, including mobility work and not feeling pressure to do wasted volume may not only help you recover faster but even build strength more efficiently from your training.

Often less is more and too often, when we’re younger, we do more just because we can or because we’re trying to out exercise our diet.

So see this as an opportunity to make some changes that lead to even better gains!

Define aging on your own terms.

Stay strong till your final day on this planet by never stopping to push yourself and challenge yourself.

Include those strength workouts that make you uncomfortable but that meet you where you are at to see fabulous muscle and strength gains at any and every age!

For an amazing community of women building their leanest, strongest bodies at any and EVERY age, join my Free Facebook Group!

7 Travel Hacks To Maintain Your Weight Loss

by Cori Lefkowith | Aug 21, 2022 | Blog, Mindset, Travel Workouts

There is nothing better than going on vacation. But it is often where we feel like we sabotage our results and our diet and exercise routines go to die.

I wanted to share 7 tips to help you stay on track while you travel so you can keep moving forward toward your weight loss goals. However, I also want to mention that I believe vacations can, and should, be a time to relax and enjoy. Diets often fail because we force restriction at times when we do need to embrace a balance.

We end up not really being able to diet on vacation while also not really allowing ourselves to relax. And this ultimately backfires.

However, if you travel for work or just travel often and want to find the lifestyle balance right for you, these tips can help you stay consistent with your macros and your workouts while not at home!

Do not feel guilty about not using every time you travel as an excuse to splurge. I know sometimes our friends or family can make us feel awkward for caring, but we need to stay focused on what also makes us happy in our progress toward our goals!

Because we can’t just always make the excuse that this is a once in a lifetime experience if we’re traveling all the time!

So what are the 7 travel hacks to help you stay on track?

#1: Save calories.

I hate saying it this way but it is also the SIMPLEST way to state it…sometimes when on vacation if you know there is going to be a bigger meal or even cocktails at dinner, things you’ll want to enjoy, you want to “save” calories for that meal.

This means you will want to focus on eating lighter, and even increase your protein intake earlier in the day. This can help you find that balance so you don’t go into a huge surplus and you even hit some macro minimums you set.

And while a longer fast can also be an option if you do intermittent fasting already, please don’t turn saving calories into starving yourself or you’ll end up overeating at that later meal.

Just think about going lighter with a protein focus earlier in the day to strike a balance!

#2: Find a few restaurants in the area for go-to healthy meals.

When on vacation, it can be fun to try local spots. And depending on where you’re traveling to, there may be some great local places with super macro friendly meals. Or even meals they can tell you the portions on. Many restaurants even list macros on their website so it never hurts to check.

If you can’t find the nutritional info, even try logging something similar to get an idea of macros. You can often find recipes online that give you an idea of the breakdown.

Also, look for chain restaurants. While yes, we want the best quality fuel, many chains do have nutritional info listed on their website. And if you find a dish or two that really works for you at those places, it can be easy to use that any time you travel as that chain may be everywhere!

But planning ahead to have some options to strike that balance can be key and let you play around with logging the meal to hit any calorie intake or macros you’ve set.

#3: Bring protein powder.

Supplements are supplemental, but protein powder is one of the best things to have with you when you’re on the go as it is generally easier to snack on carbs and fats and harder to eat easy, not refrigerated, protein options.

With a protein powder, you can keep it in your backpack or purse and be able to mix it in a water bottle, coffee or even anything quick you can pick up from the store.

Such an easy way to increase your protein and even save those carbs and fats for that later meal you don’t have as much control over with the family or co-workers.

#4: Don’t buy bulk snacks.

Often when we go on a trip, we buy snacks at the airport. And a bigger bag than we should eat in one serving.

Or we buy snacks for the hotel room or AirBnB for our family even.

And while it can be helpful to have snacks if we don’t know when we will get to eat or if the meals provided us will really work for us, we need to be conscious to not just have extra around as it will be tempting to eat it when you aren’t even hungry!

It’s easy to mindless nibble and let those calories add up.

So be strategic with your snacks especially if you’ll have them around you all the time! Even portion out things so you aren’t as tempted to keep snacking!

#5: Plan in short workouts.

Instead of trying to force yourself to maintain the same routine you would at home, plan in some workouts you can get in even in your hotel room if you’re super short on time.

That plan to do something may lead to you doing more if you can find a gym or end up with more time. Not to mention often you can find gyms with quick class options if that will help with accountability to get moving!

But simply doing something will also keep you in a routine and habit and mentally make you feel good.

And often when we stay consistent with one habit, we want to stay consistent with others!

So even if it is a 5 minute mobility routine so you feel good when you get back home to train hard, the consistency will pay off…and even reverse some of the aches and pains we get from travel postures!

#6: Get out and walk!

Even if you can’t workout, often you will have little breaks in the day where you can get out and walk.

Not only is this a great way to stop mindless snacking, but it does get you moving and can even allow you to explore the area more!

Even if it is just to get a coffee or grab food, try to move as much as you can during the day! Finding ways to be more active will even help you want to do the other healthy habits and routines you want to maintain.

#7: Increase your intensity AROUND the trip.

In preparation of your trip, it’s not a bad idea to occasionally go a bit more intense with your programming prior, especially so you could even use the trip as a de-load workout week or recovery week.

This may be a time too you are slightly more aggressive prior with the calorie deficit, not extreme but aggressive, and also using more intensive cut macro ratios over easier ratios to hit.

You can then move to minimums on your trip, tracking to stay even just accountable.

And then when you come back, you may go back into things with a bit more intensity even just in your macros before relaxing back into something you can fully be consistent with.

This 1 week before and after just can help with damage control and also mentally make us feel balanced when being a little less conscious of those healthy habits while traveling.

SUMMARY:

Remember vacations shouldn’t the time you stress about your diet, but finding a balance especially when we travel more often can be key!

Focus on doing the minimum even just to maintain those results so you can continue to build when you are back home and in your element!

Ready to dial in your diet and your workouts to fit your lifestyle, needs and goals?

–> The 3 Step Recipe To Results

How To Lose Fat In ONE SECOND…

by Cori Lefkowith | Jan 9, 2022 | Blog, Diet, Mindset

I want to show you how I went from THIS (black and white picture in video) to THIS (other picture in color in video) in ONE SECOND…

Just stop!

I’m sick of these bullshit promises that ultimately lead to frustration and that yo you dieting cycle.

I know we all want results faster, and even I fall victim to chasing shiny objects at times.

I mean we’re human, how can we not hope there is a faster, easier, better solution?

But there is no magic pill.

And so often we hold ourselves back from achieving the results we deserve because we fall victim to plans that promise to be the magic pill we are searching for.

That’s why I want to save you a ton of wasted time and effort and share with you 3 habit changes you can make to actually see the results you deserve.

3 Habits Changes To Get The Best And Fastest Results Possible:

#1: Stop Cherry Picking From Programs.

So often we pull one thing from a program to do that fits our comfort zone or meshes with what we’re currently doing.

Other changes may be scary or intimidating or feel overwhelming so often we cherry pick the one thing that is still near our comfort zone.

But results come from stepping outside our comfort zone.

And honestly, most programs work because of how the systems all work together,.

There isn’t one magic move. Magic macro ratio.

Magic single piece you can pull out that will work on its own.

And so when we ultimately get frustrated that a program isn’t working, we have to realize we didn’t do it as the whole process.

We pulled out of it what felt safe and didn’t challenge us to change.

But don’t waste your own time this year.

If you’re going to start a program, actually DO the program as the plan is outlined.

That’s the only way to truly understand if something works or not. It’s the only way to truly learn how all the systems add up and work together.

Change requires change!

And a different result requires you to do something different than you’ve always done…not force a program to conform to what is comfortable and instinctual for you currently.

#2: Stop Trying To Reinvent The Wheel. Tweak Your Current Lifestyle.

I see this all the time. People start Keto or some diet that cuts out a food they love.

They feel amazing to start and even believe this is the solution they’ve always dreamed of.

It’s that relationship infatuation stage where everything seems perfect.

But A. That phase doesn’t last for ever. And B. They don’t consider one key thing…That the changes they are creating simply aren’t really recognizing who they are and the lifestyle they will ultimately want to lead.

They love bread and, at some point, want to add it back in. Or they do enjoy happy hours out with friends.

One size doesn’t fit all, and what may be sustainable for one person, may not be sustainable for us.

It’s why we’ve got to focus on assessing our starting point, our lifestyle and make tweaks off of that.

Instead of trying to reinvent your lifestyle and cut out the things you love, find a way to create a balance. Learn how to work them in.

Learn how to tweak what you’re currently doing to see changes in a way you can actually sustain.

Because to truly see fat loss results, we don’t need to hit some arbitrary standard of “clean” and there are a variety of macro ratios that can work for us.

The key is finding something we can do consistently enough to allow results time to build.

So start with one small change that’s almost even easy to implement today.

#3: Don’t Ignore Weekly Averages.

It’s easy to get caught up in the day to day and not see the inconsistencies over the weeks and even months.

It’s easy to work super hard on one day and feel frustrated when the next day the results don’t show it.

Results snowball and consistency is what allows them to add up.

Too often we work really hard for a few days, but then don’t notice the inconsistency that is really there.

We feel like we’ve been “good all week” and ignore how much the weekend eating can really impact our calorie deficit or surplus and our macro ratio averages.

So if you’ve been struggling to feel like your hard work is paying off, take a step back and look at those weekly and monthly numbers.

Were you truly consistent with your workout progression each week and not just training extra hard inconsistently?

Were you actually hitting the macros when averaged over the week? Or were those cheat days adding up more than you realized?

We have to remember we don’t get good at what we do every once in awhile. We get good at what we do consistently.

So focus on creating sustainable changes that allow those weekly, monthly and yes, even yearly, averages to be balanced!

SUMMARY:

There is no quick fix. No one second transformation. And we need to remind ourselves to run away from any promises of one.

The real way to lasting results is to focus on little tweaks to our current lifestyle while focusing on that consistency over time!

Results take time to snowball. Give them the chance by truly implementing those systems and plan!

And no pressure, but if you need help creating and implementing the systems that lead to results, apply to my 1:1 Online Coaching. I’m a pushy trainer that loves to help!

–> 1:1 Coaching Application

Should You Weigh Every Day?

by Cori Lefkowith | Feb 1, 2018 | Blog, Diet, Mindset

“Don’t step on it! It will make you cry!”

This was the caption below a cartoon I saw of two little girls staring at a scale.

It made me both laugh and cringe all at once.

Weighing ourselves…

Some of us do it daily. It’s part of our “morning routine.” But it can also sometimes be a number that decides how we feel about ourselves that day…for better or for worse.

And for others of us…

Well…others of us won’t even walk close to one for fear of the dreaded number that may glare back at us.

But should you be weighing yourself? And, more importantly, should you be doing it daily?

I’ll tell you the answer right now and you’re not going to like it…

IT DEPENDS!

Isn’t that an infuriating answer?!

The thing is…that is 100% true.

Weighing yourself can be a HUGE accountability tool when used correctly, even doing it daily.

It can have a huge positive impact and help increase your dedication and consistency

HOWEVER…

There is a dark side to the scale…

One in which that number begins to dictate how you feel about yourself. One in which you start to obsess over the number you see there.

One in which your feelings of confidence and self-worth are dependent on what that stupid little piece of technology that sits on your bathroom floor says…

Then weighing every day is for sure not a good thing.

The only thing is…

That number on the scale can have that same impact even if you never weigh.

Having to AVOID the scale out of fear of what it would say is no better than weighing obsessively.

The point is…our WEIGHT can’t rule how we feel about our bodies.

It is simply another measuring tool we can use to keep track of progress or even use to guide us when we find a point we feel comfortable with.

But we have to remember our weight is just a NUMBER and doesn’t determine our worth.

And that goal number can, and even should, change over time. And it shouldn’t be our only determination of success.

However, all too often it doesn’t change and it becomes the most important measure of success.

Heck, some of us get so freaking stuck on a specific number we don’t appreciate when we have huge body composition shifts.

I’ve literally had clients tell me, “Well I lost inches but the scale didn’t budge!”

And they’ve said this as if they were UNHAPPY with this fact! (This is usually where I sit there looking dumbfounded, confused and shocked.)

But losing inches means they lost fat. Heck, it’s probably a BIGGER victory than weight lost on the scale.

Because that number on the scale can fluctuate for so many reasons.

I mean crap…that number can fluctuate from hour to hour based on eating food…or how much salt we eat or water we drink…or even if our workout broke down more muscle tissue the day before or we ate more carbs or heck, depleted our glycogen stores by NOT eating carbs…

The point is that number can fluctuate so easily. And it is just a NUMBER. It should just be another guide to help you track and see if something is working OR if changes need to be made.

It can be an accountability tool, but it can’t be something that is the be all and end all.

And I think it has become one for all too many of us as dieting has become know as deprivation…

STARVING yourself to hit a number on a scale….A number that really has been arbitrarily assigned by ourselves or something we read in a magazine….

Doesn’t lead to long-term results or long-term health.

And I don’t think this will change by weighing or not weighing. I think that is just a symptom of a bigger problem. Because as I mentioned we can be as obsessed with that number whether we obsessively weigh or obsessively AVOID weighing.

I think the real answer to changing our obsession with our weight and having to be a specific number to be happy comes from changing our relationship to how we view dieting – aka our relationship with FOOD.

It’s about changing our view of our diet from one of purely slashing calories and starving ourselves to hit a number on the scale, to one focused on FUELING OUR BODIES.

It’s why I put an emphasis on Macros over Caloric Intake. Dial in your macros. Think about getting your body the right foods and everything else will start to fall into place.

Stop dieting and depriving. Focus on giving your body what it needs and creating a balance so you can enjoy life!

To help you get started, find out what macros you need with the Macro Cycling Quiz.

–> Take the Quiz And Start FUELING Your Body!

The Best Of Redefining Strength 2015

by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 30, 2015 | Blog, Exercises, Functional Fitness, Mindset

Over this past year, we shared 100s of new exercises as well as workouts and fitness tips. All to help you reach your fitness goals. Here are some of our favorite articles, most popular articles and down right ESSENTIAL articles to help you set some New Years Resolutions and develop a program to help you succeed.

Most Popular Post

Can you guess what it is!?!

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Work Those Glutes

Activate those butt cheeks!

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Core Strength

Strengthen your core.

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Injury Prevention

Move and feel better.

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Functional Fitness

Learn to use fun toys!

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Workout Programs

Check out a few of our programs.

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Most Popular Post:

And our Most Popular Post of 2015 was….. 15 Plank Variations! You all found this post so useful and interesting you shared it over 20,000 times! Thanks for spreading the love! Our readers also enjoyed our 5 Quick Booty Burners post enough to share it 4,000 times. And, while not one of our most shared post, it was one of our Top Viewed posts over the last year – Glute Activation – 10 Must-Do Moves. Apparently, people wanted to strengthen those butt cheeks in 2015 (or prevent and alleviate hip and low back pain since that post was also among our most viewed!) Low back and hip pain weren’t the only aches and pains you all were looking to prevent. Another top post of the year was Foam Rolling to Prevent and Alleviate Neck and Shoulder Pain. Foam rolling was actually popular enough that a celebrity trainer shared our Lower Body Foam Rolling Moves as well! If you sought out any of these posts this past year and are looking for a program to help you kick off the New Year, check out our 21-Day Kick Start!

Work Those Glutes

Glute Activation became a very sexy phrase over this past year and honestly it happened for good reason – most of our glutes aren’t actually working and firing properly! Because most of us sit too often during the day, our hips become tight and our glutes become inactive. This can lead to a whole host of problems and pains and injuries. It also generally means we can’t move as well, run as fast or lift as much. It may also me we don’t have the perky posterior we want! That is why Glute Activation and our Glute post are among our favorites as well as our most popular and essential!

15 Bodyweight Glute Exercises
Glute Activation – 15 Bridge Variations
Activation Exercises (This one has some bonus moves for your back and core to alleviate other aches and pains!)
And while older than 2015, it is also a must-read! Best Glute Exercises

And as this year may easily be deemed the year of Glute Activation, here is our 28-Day Booty Burner Challenge. This program has 28 days of quick glute activating workouts you can easily do at home, as warm ups before your lifts or even on off days to keep those glutes strong and working!

Core Strength:

Core strength – we all know it is important. That is why our 15 Plank Variations post was so widely shared this year. And, while Planks are a great move to strengthen your core, they aren’t your only option. Actually, a good core training program, includes many different elements – unconventional full body moves with asymmetrical loading, anti-rotational moves, rotational exercises…even crunches and sit up. Below are some of our recommended reads about developing Core Strength:

And here is one of our most popular products – The 30-Day Core Challenge. Thirty days of core workouts to help you strengthen everything from your shoulders to your knees!

Injury Prevention:

Because we all seem to sit way more than we should, we develop poor posture, imbalances and compensations….all of which lead to injury. That is why in 2015, we wrote a number of articles about preventing and alleviating pain and injury. These articles are essential to review as we enter the New Year and you start developing a program and plan to help you reach your goals because these articles will help you not only prevent and alleviate injuries, but also move better, lift more and run faster! These articles include exercises for each piece of our 4 Step Injury Prevention Program – Foam Rolling, Stretching, Activation and Strengthening Exercises. Here are some of our favorite Injury Prevention articles:

If you have any aches and pains you want to get rid of, you should also check out our 21-Day Posture Fix. These workouts are 10 minute blasts you can break up throughout the day or do quickly at your desk or at home. They will help prevent and alleviate all those common desk job aches and pains!

Functional Fitness:

Functional Fitness is trending right now. The tools and equipment make working out fun. And the workouts are usually done in a community atmosphere, which not only makes working out more fun and social, but also helps hold you accountable so you are more likely to reach your goals. And because we are a functional fitness training facility, we not only use the tools, but like to help show others how to use them too. Here are some articles about how to use some popular pieces of functional equipment.

Battle Ropes have been especially popular, which is why we also created a 9-Week Battle Ropes Workout Program. Check it out here. It’s just $1 per week to get in a killer 9 weeks of workouts using the Battle Ropes!

Workout Programs:

Below are some of our most popular workout programs to help you kick off 2016 right. Also, below is a link to check out our newest program, the 21-Day Kick Start! This program includes not only a workout program, but also recipes and a meal plan. Plus, you’ll also get a 30-Day Elite Workout Library Free Trial, if you aren’t currently a member.